Chapter IV: Inglis, Age 16—New Semester, New Lifestyle (1)
It was the first day after vacation at the knights’ academy.
“Mmm! ♪ Back to the old cafeteria! Let’s get a fresh start by doing a lap of the menu!” Rafinha smiled as she strode into the cafeteria. “Good morning, everyone!”
Many other students returned her greeting.
“Good morning!”
“Morning!”
It was another cheerful start to the day.
“Oh! There you are, Rafinha! We’re all ready, so come on and eat!” The lunch lady, all too familiar with Rafinha and Inglis and the amount of food they consumed, peeked out and delivered them a challenge.
“Yes, ma’am! We’re back and ready for more! One of everything to start!” Rafinha’s polite bow was at odds with her absurd order.
“Sure thing!” But the cafeteria staff were already used to it. The lunch lady breezily rolled up her sleeves and hefted a frying pan.
Having finished his breakfast, Silva passed by Rafinha on his way out. “Good morning, Rafinha. Where’s Inglis?”
“Good morning, Silva. Chris is right here!”
“Huh? I don’t see her...”
“Down here...”
Inglis peeked her face out from behind Rafinha. She hadn’t been trying to hide, but she was short enough that Rafinha had inadvertently concealed her.
“Good morning, Silva!” Inglis, smiling gracefully, was still in her younger form. Only Rafinha had returned to her original size; Inglis was still tiny. Principal Miriela had even prepared a child-sized version of the knights’ academy uniform for her.
“Wh-What happened to you?!” Silva exclaimed.
The cafeteria echoed with voices in every timbre. “She’s adorable!”
“Well, there was a bit of a mishap with an Artifact I made,” she replied.
“And that’s why you’re so small? I’m glad you weren’t hurt!”
“She should be back to normal at some point. Until then I get to enjoy having a tiny Chris around!” Rafinha said. “Isn’t she cute, Silva?” She picked up Inglis and rubbed her cheek against her own as if her cousin was a stuffed animal.
They’d discussed who would revert first and be able to enjoy doting on the other, and Rafinha had won the lottery. It had happened naturally, without any intervention on the part of Ambassador Theodore or Principal Miriela. Inglis’s resistance to magic should have been higher, but the effect had ended for Rafinha sooner anyway.
Inglis wasn’t sure why that was the case. Was it because Rafinha had been physically farther away from the Artifact when it went off? That might have caused the difference in its effect. But was that enough to explain the reversal in magical resistance between them?
Inglis herself, after all, was clad in aether. It wouldn’t have surprised her at all if she had gone completely unaffected and only Rafinha had transformed. It’s possible that her own experiments with powering the Artifact with aether had produced a Gift powerful enough to work even on a divine knight.
She was under the impression from others’ explanations that the effect’s duration wasn’t based on its power. That was what seemed to produce the most cohesive explanation.
In any case, she would naturally recover, so no special measures would be taken. After visiting Leone at the Olfa mansion, they had met with Ambassador Theodore and Principal Miriela in Ahlemin, which was when Rafinha had regained her original form.
“Yeah, she is. She really is,” Silva replied.
Inglis saw a hand stretch out toward her. It patted her on the head even while she was in Rafinha’s arms. “Such a cutie.” Yua’s face was expressionless, and her agreement could only be found in her choice of words.
“Yua! Good morning! It’s been a while.”
“Tiny Boobies. I can’t really call you Boobies like this.”
“Ha ha ha, you’re not wrong...”
“Yua, do you want to hug Chris too?”
“Can I? Yaaay.” Again, Yua’s words carried the weight of her enthusiasm as opposed to her tone, but this time her expression showed the slightest bit of excitement as she took Inglis in her arms. “Wow. You’re so soft. And you smell nice,” Yua sniffed.
“R-Really? Thanks.”
“Time to ride the Flygear! Fwoosh!” With Yua’s strength, it was easy for her to loft Inglis above her head.
“Ha ha ha, isn’t this something you’d normally do with younger kids?”
“Really? So you want to go even higher?” Yua tossed Inglis into the air. With a fwoosh, Inglis soared almost to the ceiling before falling back down, caught and tossed by Yua again and again. “Are you having fun, Tiny Boobies?”
“That wasn’t really what I meant... And it’s not like I’m a kid in both body and mind.”
“Come on, Yua, that’s not how you treat a child!” Silva protested. “That’s dangerous!”
“You’re just jealous, Four-Eyes.”
“Th-That has nothing to do with it!”
“Here you go, then.” Yua held out Inglis to Silva.
“I wasn’t asking to take her from you!”
“You sure you don’t want to hug her?”
“That wasn’t what I meant either!”
“Mmm. Here.”
“Ha ha ha...” Inglis was being treated like a stuffed plushie—or maybe like a cute little animal. She had no response but a strained laugh.
“Hmm... If I must...” Silva reached out his hands.
“Actually, nope.” Yua suddenly pulled Inglis away.
“Hey!”
“No getting handsy with your classmates. She’s only a little kid in body.”
“Well of course!”
“You disappointed?”
“Why you—”
Inglis laughed. “I don’t mind Silva holding me.”
“R-Really, Inglis?!” Silva lit up with a smile. So he had been jealous of Rafinha and Yua.
“Go right ahead.”
“O-Okay! If you’ll excuse me!” Silva snatched Inglis away from Yua. “Ha ha, this brings back memories. My family’s all boys, and I always wanted a little sister.”
“Ha ha ha. I’ve never seen you this happy, Silva. Beware little Inglis’s power,” Rafinha teased.
Another person appeared. “Silva! May I have a turn? I’d like to hold her as well!” Liselotte spoke with a bright twinkle in her eye.
Inglis hadn’t seen her over vacation and was glad she was doing well. “Ah, Liselotte. It’s been a while.”
“It most certainly has! I’d heard as much from Leone, but seeing you myself, you’re simply adorable!”
Inglis laughed. “Thanks.”
That seemed to be the cue for the other students to gather. Cries of “Can I too, Inglis?” “Me too!” “Me too, me too! Boys are okay too, right?” surrounded her. In no time at all, a crowd gathered.
“Of course, of course! Everyone who wants to hug Chris, form a line!” Rafinha immediately set to work at organizing them. She had no intention of stopping them at all. Well, if Inglis were in the opposite position, she’d be happy that everyone adored Rafinha so much they wanted to hug her. If Rafinha felt the same, she didn’t object.
“Er... How about teachers, Rafinha? Should we line up as well?” Tentatively, a young demihuman woman with catlike ears and tail approached Rafinha. She had a proper and ladylike demeanor, dressed in the uniform of a knights’ academy instructor.
“Miss Arles! Of course, go right ahead!” Rafinha nodded to her with a smile.
Arles had previously been the hieral menace assigned to the neighboring country Venefic. Along with Venefic’s General Rochefort—possessor of a special-class Rune and also her lover—she had taken part in the raid on Chiral, but when Inglis had put a stop to that, the two had been captured. Rochefort had been deathly ill at the time, seeking to leave one final mark on the world. However, Inglis had fed him the meat of the ancient dragon Fufailbane, famed as a panacea, and he was now clearly improving. Just before vacation had begun, the two had been assigned to the knights’ academy as instructors, and Inglis and her friends had already trained with them many times.
This appointment had, of course, been made with King Carlias’s assent, but it was not merely a result of his magnanimity and desire to make the greatest use of the talent available. Inglis herself had also desired to fight against Rochefort and Arles again. Thankfully, their appointment as instructors meant she could do that as much as she wanted—with the implication that she had to, of course, make sure things didn’t get out of hand.
King Carlias was indeed perceptive of the hearts of his subjects. And considering the planned establishment of a new order of knights, Inglis felt that he must have had other goals in mind as well. It was an assignment that carried many meanings.
Regardless, Inglis was simply satisfied that she could train with them.
“Thank you! Ross, you should line up too! She’s so cute!”
“C’mon, I’m hungry over here.”
Arles waved at a red-haired man. Rochefort was, of course, also wearing an instructor’s uniform; Ross Rochefort was his full name. To Inglis, this made him Mr. Rochefort, but Arles and Arles alone could call him Ross.
“You can eat anytime! But this is your only chance to hug Inglis when she’s so cute!”
“I guess? I mean, she’s gonna keep us after school for more training, so can’t I just do it then?”
“No, that’s not the right time! Come on, let’s line up!” It was unusual for Arles, normally so reserved and quiet, to be so insistent.
“Sheesh... Guess I’ll go along with it.” Rochefort shrugged in resignation, but he seemed to be inwardly pleased with the idea. Maybe it was just because Arles herself took the initiative so happily. No matter what he said, she was his soft spot.
Lately, he was kind to Inglis and her friends as well, always willing to participate in their practice. Maybe teaching was his calling.
“Then, you too, Mr. Rochefort! Chris! You’ve got another customer!”
“This isn’t a store...”
After hugs with everyone who wanted one, Inglis and Rafinha finally made it to their long-awaited breakfast.
Munch! Munch, munch! Munch, munch, munch, munch!
“Mmmmm, this is all so delicious! As far as I’m concerned, the cafeteria is home cooking!” Rafinha pronounced.
“Yes,” Inglis agreed. “It hasn’t been that long, but still, this takes me back.” As she perched on Rafinha’s knee, the two rapidly worked their way through the food piled on their table.
“Inglis may be tiny, but she still hasn’t changed at all,” Leone remarked, shocked at the sight.
“Indeed... I can’t understand how all that food fits in her stomach...” Liselotte agreed.
Inglis’s expression sharpened. “No, it’s completely different!” She reached out her fork toward the plate of fried chicken in front of her, but she couldn’t quite reach. As she stretched for it... Yoink! Rafinha extended her own hand and grabbed the chicken.
“Hey! Rani, that’s mine!”
“Mm haa ah wahafeh! Ehho hu hehha ihhihahih vih! (Meals are a battlefield! And those who take the initiative win!)”
“Ugh... Rani, you meanie!” With such short arms now, Inglis had no chance when sitting in Rafinha’s lap.
“Now, now, there’s still plenty to eat,” Leone soothed Inglis from across the table.
“But there’s an order I wanted to eat them in! And right now, I want fried chicken!” Since Rafinha and Inglis had been close since childhood, their tastes and the order they preferred were very similar. With their tastes overlapping, conflict was bound to arise.
“Really? Then why don’t you sit here? You’ll have an easier time getting at things.”
“I think I will, actually.” Inglis hopped out of Rafinha’s lap. “If you’ll pardon me.” She climbed up into Leone’s.
“Go right ahead.” Leone seemed to have wanted the company as well.
“Mmm... I still can’t reach.” Inglis had wanted to reach the fried chicken from the other side.
“I’ll get it for you, Inglis.”
“Thank you, Leone.” She was kind. Inglis made a note to try to be in her lap for meals instead. From a positioning perspective, she would always lose to Rafinha when they reached for the same thing while she was in her lap. Reach meant a lot in the tabletop battle. “Mmmm, this is delicious!” Inglis shoveled into her mouth the food Leone delivered to her. She could now keep up a breezy pace without any interference from Rafinha.
But there was one slight problem. “Umm...”
“Huh? What’s wrong, Inglis?”
“Oh, nothing.” Inglis turned to face Leone.
Smoosh.
Her face was buried in Leone’s chest. Not intentionally, but accidentally, of course. “S-Sorry, Leone...”
“Don’t worry about it.”
But there was, of course, no way Inglis could avoid worrying about it. Leone was fine with it because she was currently a little girl, but if Inglis had still been the old king, surely Leone would have shrieked in disgust. There was no mistaking that.
And the source of both Inglis’s problems was the same: Leone’s chest was too big for this. Whether she stretched out or leaned back, it got in the way. Inglis had no choice but to lean forward uncomfortably. Someone more shameless might have found the feeling heavenly, but that was not who Inglis was. And moreover—
Jiggle, jiggle, jiggle.
Something was wriggling in Leone’s chest! “Ah! Wait, stop! Eep!” she gasped. Rin was now poking her face out from Leone’s cleavage and shaking her head.
“Ah, you want Leone for yourself? Sorry for getting in your way.” With Inglis in her current condition, Leone had become Rin’s only home. The sudden arrival of Inglis’s face had disturbed her relaxation.
“Ugh... You’re so cute now, Inglis, but maybe it’d be better if you changed back soon...” Leone sighed. As long as Inglis was like this, Rin would be clinging to her chest.
“I guess?” Inglis asked. “I wouldn’t mind staying like this just a little while longer.”
“That’s terrible! We need to help her get back to normal!” Leone, a tear in her eye, looked at Inglis reproachfully.
“Ha ha ha... If you can. Rani changed back on her own. I’m sure I will soon enough.”
“Then, why don’t you sit here, Inglis?” Liselotte, next to Leone, patted her lap and invited Inglis.
“Sure, why not?”
“Of course! Go right ahead!” Liselotte beamed happily. “And of course, I’ll get your food for you! ♪” She joyfully set about the task. This way, there was no fighting over food like with Rafinha, nor were there worries about positioning or Rin’s presence like with Leone.
“Hmm. I think this may be where I can eat most calmly.”
“Oh, truly? Then why not spend all your meals with me, for now?” Liselotte happily stroked Inglis’s hair while hugging her. She was careful not to interfere with Inglis’s eating, so Inglis didn’t mind. It seemed Liselotte’s lap was the best choice for meals. “You were turned small too, right, Rafinha? A shame I missed it. I’d have liked to see it,” Liselotte bemoaned.
“Yes, and she was adorable. Extremely so,” Leone replied, smiling.
“It’s too bad I didn’t have a reason to visit Ahlemin.”
“It wasn’t all good. We saw some pretty terrible things while we were there,” Rafinha pointed out.
“You called them the undying, right?”
“Yeah. They were—how should I put it? Creepy. Disgusting. Not suitable discussion over breakfast.” Naturally, they had reported the incident to Ambassador Theodore and Principal Miriela when they were in Ahlemin. Those two surely would have informed Prince Wayne as well. With the aid of Ahlemin’s knights, an investigation was underway.
“For that reason as well, I wish I’d been present. It’s a shame I wasn’t there to help a friend in need.”
“Thank you, Liselotte,” Leone responded sincerely. Inglis and Rafinha nodded as well.
“Of course I’d want to help you. Anyway, these, er, undying... They’re quite rare, are they not?”
“Yeah,” Inglis said. “I think they’re from either a very unusual Artifact or Highlander magic.”
“But I’ve seen something quite similar myself,” Liselotte said, frowning.
“Huuuh?! Liselotte, you saw the undying too?!” Rafinha arose with a start.
“I-I’m glad you’re okay then!” Leone put a hand to her chest in relief.
“Can you tell us what happened?” Inglis asked.
“Absolutely. I’ve only heard your stories, so I can’t be certain I saw an undying, but...” With that caveat out of the way, Liselotte began to recount the events of her own vacation.
◆◇◆
In the conference hall of the royal palace in Chiral, things had calmed down a bit from the festive air following the defeat of the Prismer, and the palace was playing host to several days of meetings with grandees from across the country. The purpose was to discuss how to deal with Venefic and Alcard, which had attempted a joint attack on Karelia. Conveniently, the upper crust had already gathered to celebrate the defeat of the Prismer.
Liselotte was in the capital escorting her father, Duke Arcia, who was an attendee. While he had resigned as chancellor, he still had vast holdings in coastal western Karelia, centered on the town of Charot. His forces numbered many able knights, but Liselotte had personally requested to be present. With her mother having already passed, and the two left alone, this was a chance for them to be together as a family.
On today’s agenda was the fate of Venefic.
The current chancellor, Duke Riegliv, was leading the discussion. “Perhaps Alcard is a different story, having already sent a messenger of apology and lent aid at the battle with the Prismer, but we cannot afford to show mercy to Venefic! They have invaded many times in the past, and many of our people have fallen victim to their attacks! Yet we heard nothing in the way of apologies—not even now, after their raid on the capital itself! By the reports from the Paladins, they were indeed the ones who unleashed the Prismer!”
“However, Chancellor Riegliv, we were the ones who moved the frozen Prismer to the border to begin with. It is quite possible that they took it as a provocation. We are not without fault, and it is I who must take the blame, as it was my suggestion,” Prince Wayne said. His calm voice and closed eyes sounded as if he was remonstrating against Chancellor Riegliv’s zeal.
Now, it was King Carlias’s turn to pacify Prince Wayne. “Frozen as it was, it still brought forth magicite beasts and continued to wreak havoc on its surroundings. If it had set its eyes toward Venefic rather than the capital, we may well have ended up joining forces with them. The results were unfortunate, and yet Inglis saved us. I do not cast blame on you, Wayne.”
“Yet I am shamed, Father.”
“I certainly do not mean to cast aspersions on you, your Royal Highness! Yet, there are many in my lands who lost their livelihoods, even their lives, to the Prismer’s attack!” Chancellor Riegliv insisted.
His lands were in the east of Karelia, including portions of the border with Venefic. In fact, he prided himself on possessing the largest holdings in the east. And it was an undeniable truth that those lands had suffered from the Prismer’s attack.
He continued, “I ask not as chancellor, but as a lord of lands bordering foul Venefic! Let us take back what once was taken from us! Thankfully, losses among our knights in battle with the Prismer were far fewer than foreseen. Let us strike with those forces at Venefic! Let us sever the roots of misfortune, past and future!” Chancellor Riegliv shouted, and his party of nobles raised their voices.
“Your Majesty! Prince Wayne! Chancellor Riegliv speaks the truth!”
“Our lands have suffered, and the people will not accept a failure to claim recompense!”
“Fortunately, we wiped out the ones that attacked Chiral! Their forces are weakened! This is our chance!”
“That’s right!”
A clamor arose in agreement with Chancellor Riegliv. Looking at them, Liselotte could see that many held land in the east. Venefic had invaded the region many times in the past, and the eastern lords traditionally held a strong hostility toward their neighbor. Recent events had brought that animus to a peak, Liselotte felt, observing the scene as she stood at the wall behind her father.
Would this mean war with Venefic?
She understood why Chancellor Riegliv and the others were so adamant in their insistence. Yet still, none knew when the next prism flow would fall, or when the next Prismer would spring forth and attack humans. That hadn’t changed. And in such a situation, war between humans of the surface seemed unwise.
Though to the lords of the east who had suffered their attacks, Venefic might be just as hated an enemy as the magicite beasts. Perhaps her own reluctance to support an attack sprang from her family’s own interests in the west being spared. However, having fought with all her might—although belatedly—in the battle with the Prismer, she could not bring herself to agree that those who had survived there against the odds should be thrown into another battle, this time against Venefic.
“We didn’t fight for the sake of another war...” she murmured. Bodyguards were strictly forbidden to speak on their own account here, but she couldn’t help herself. The faces of those she had fought alongside drifted through her mind. Leone, Rafinha, Pullum, Lahti, all would agree. And then Inglis—
“Uh...” Here, she felt her head swim. Inglis, and Inglis alone, would be the sort to already be out the door with a call of, “All right! And be sure to assign me to the front lines!” Well, handling that could be left to Rafinha, so it was best not to think too hard about it. The most impressive thing about Rafinha, alongside her ability as a knight, was her ability to marshal Inglis into line.
Inglis stood out in terms of military prowess, intelligence, and even appearance. Her personality wasn’t bad, and she was kind and considerate of those around her. However, no one was perfect, and Inglis was particularly inclined to leave aside matters of “right” and “wrong” when she saw an opportunity to hone her own skills. Left alone, she could go astray in the blink of an eye. It was Rafinha who could keep her on the straight and narrow, arm in arm with her.
“Young mistress, are you feeling all right? If you aren’t, perhaps you could rest in the cloakroom...” The woman who spoke to Liselotte was an elegant woman who seemed to be in her midtwenties. She was Liza, captain of the knights of Charot, one of the Arcia fiefs. It was rumored that she was older than she appeared, but she refused to specify her exact age.
To Liselotte, she was the woman who had mentored her in the duties of knighthood. Another reason Liselotte had insisted on escorting Duke Arcia was to spend some time with her.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you, though,” Liselotte answered with a smile before she turned her attention back to the debate underway.
King Carlias and Prince Wayne did not yet seem swayed toward war, but the clamor of the eastern lords in favor of attacking Venefic was beginning to put pressure on them. More and more voices called out in favor of Chancellor Riegliv’s proposal.
The only one who spoke to calm the rising furor was her own father, Duke Arcia. “I have to disagree with the chancellor.” As he broke his silence, all eyes were upon him.
“Duke Arcia! This may seem like someone else’s problem to you in the far west, but we have suffered! We must teach Venefic a lesson!” Chancellor Riegliv glared at Duke Arcia.
“Indeed, Duke Arcia!”
“Are you simply reluctant to devote funds and troops to the needs of us in the east?”
“Mere parsimony!”
The lords of the east erupted at once in support of Chancellor Riegliv.
“We need no troops from the domain of Charot! House Riegliv’s knights shall form the core of the expeditionary army! With support from the Paladins and Royal Guard, we shall suffice!”
“Ah, Chancellor Riegliv! Truly, you are a man of action!”
Even in the face of such overwhelming counterargument, Duke Arcia responded calmly, “The damage to the east was caused not by Venefic but by the Prismer. What can be attributed purely to Venefic is only that caused by their raid on the capital. And, of course, the capital is under the direct jurisdiction of the royal family. Should not our assessment of the ills they caused follow that of His Majesty and Prince Wayne?”
Chancellor Riegliv grunted. “Are you asking us to merely lick our wounds?!”
“No, I only point out your arrogance.”
“What?!” the chancellor screamed.
“What do you mean by that, Duke Arcia?!” his supporters yelled in unison.
“Before you demand we march on Venefic, should you not show some shame for your failure in allowing Venefic’s forces to pass through your lands and reach the capital? His Majesty could have lost his life. I do not find the transgression of placing one’s liege’s life in danger to be a light one.”
Chancellor Riegliv grunted.
“W-Well...”
“True, but...”
Duke Arcia’s remonstrative gaze and pointed remarks produced dismay among the hardliners.
Of those present nobles who agreed with Duke Arcia against the chancellor, many were from regions other than the east.
“Indeed, Duke Arcia is correct.”
“Even given the Prismer’s attack, this is a serious matter.”
King Carlias’s voice carried weight. “Enough. I declare what has passed has passed. Let there be no more questions.”
Duke Arcia bowed deeply. “I’m sure I speak for all your retainers when I offer my thanks for your generous treatment.”
“Who said you could speak for us?!” Duke Riegliv spat. “Your Majesty, I am truly apologetic!”
The lords of the east said as one, “We apologize!”
“Enough, enough! Let us focus on what is to come, not what has passed,” King Carlias announced magnanimously, accepting the apologies. The debate over how to approach the matter of Venefic continued, but the atmosphere had changed drastically. Duke Arcia’s skillful politicking had swiftly disrupted the mounting avalanche in favor of war. Seeing her father’s work up close made Liselotte both impressed and proud. Furthermore, not wanting to go to war, she was glad that he stood against it.
King Carlias continued, “On that basis, I am reluctant to agree to the deployment of troops at a time when we should be focused on rebuilding... But I would like to hear Duke Bilford’s opinion. While Duke Riegliv’s knights would surely form the backbone of a force sent against Venefic, other forces would be required as well. In particular, the participation of those who distinguished themselves in the recent battle with the Prismer would be a must. There is no reason not to use their power. And if they were to be deployed, several of them are from Duke Bilford’s family.”
“That makes sense. Rafael, Miss Rafinha, and Miss Inglis are his close family. I would like to hear his piece as well.” Prince Wayne nodded, prompting Duke Bilford to speak.
“Ah, er!” Duke Bilford was flustered, not having expected to become the center of the conversation.
He might not be the best with formal debate, Liselotte thought. He’s more reminiscent of Rafinha than Rafael. She had met him briefly before today’s session, and found him to be a man with a sunny disposition.
“We of Ymir are loyal servants of the crown. If His Majesty and His Royal Highness call for it, we will stand against Venefic. I will not lie about that. However... As their father and uncle, I will remind you all that, prepared as they are to fight magicite beasts, they have not been trained to kill a human enemy and take their land. Of that, I have concerns. If not for Rafael, certainly for the girls.”
Hearing that, Liselotte agreed in regards to Rafinha, but not so much about Inglis. It was only a moment later that she realized Duke Bilford might have different concerns for each of them. If sent against Venefic, Rafinha could be displeased with her orders, or even be hurt—the same worries Liselotte herself felt. But in Inglis’s case, the concern was that she might take to it too well. Both were concerns. Whether Duke Bilford meant it that way, Liselotte wasn’t sure, but he was right. “Concerns” was an interesting word choice.
“Most importantly, those who survived the fierce battle with the Prismer must still be exhausted. Honestly speaking, I would like them to rest for a while.”
Prince Wayne nodded in agreement. “I understand. This is no assault by magicite beasts, no call to halt an enemy advance. It is a decision we make ourselves, so we must be quite careful.”
Chancellor Riegliv’s party gritted their teeth in frustration.
The prince continued, “However, it is also true that those of Duke Riegliv’s lands, and the other people of the east, have suffered. It is reasonable for their lord to want to give them hope, to at least let them feel that the threat from Venefic has been eliminated. And I also understand their desire to redeem themselves after the disgrace of allowing the attack on the capital to pass by. That, also, is loyalty. It pleases me.”
Prince Wayne’s considerate phrasing allowed Chancellor Riegliv to regain a bit of momentum.
“I-Indeed, Prince Wayne! Please, understand that we came to our decision through our devotion to Karelia!”
“Father, may I perhaps offer a suggestion?”
“Very well. Speak.”
“Yes. First, let us ask Chancellor Riegliv to begin organizing an army to assault Venefic.”
“Ah!” Duke Riegliv and the other lords of the east had not expected this turn of events.
“There will be no need to rush. Move slowly with care as to suggest that the force will be many times larger than it in fact is.”
“Hmm...”
“Meanwhile, we shall open negotiations with Venefic to discuss the matter. At a minimum, we will enter a long-term nonaggression pact and further encourage them to participate in the joint defense plans we intend to conduct with Alcard.”
“And if they do not accept, then our hand is forced?”
“It would be best to put the people of the east at ease without shedding blood. If not...Chancellor Riegliv may have a point. I would like to work closely with Ambassador Theodore to pursue negotiations with Venefic. I would be pleased if you would permit me to do so.”
It was a compromise plan between the use of force and peace. Considering the will of Chancellor Riegliv and the other lords of the east to fight, this might be the best solution. Prince Wayne would allow them to prepare for war while working his hardest to make sure that would be unnecessary. The threat of military preparations in the background would only ease negotiations.
“I see. Well, it has grown late. I would like you all to consider Prince Wayne’s suggestion overnight. If there are any other suggestions, I will hear them tomorrow.” King Carlias announced a recess, and the meeting adjourned for the day.
Liselotte, her father, and Liza rode back to the Arcia villa in a carriage. When her father was the chancellor, he had resided there for easy access to the palace. Duke Arcia liked quiet, and it was some distance from the palace, in a secluded locale. But as their carriage passed along the quiet, wooded road near the villa, conversation was abuzz inside as Liselotte told her story about the battle with the Prismer, the events in Alcard, and her friends at the knights’ academy.
“I see... You must have gone through a lot, but it’s wonderful that you’ve made good friends. Lifelong friendships are hard to find,” Liza said.
“Yes, I’m glad I enrolled at the knights’ academy!”
Liza smiled at Liselotte’s beaming response.
Duke Arcia’s reaction, however, was a bit different. “Indeed, you’ve gotten stronger, certainly, and you’ve made good friends. But I can’t help feeling, knights’ academy student or no, we’ve asked too much of you. Just hearing about it makes my stomach ache...” He had broken out in a cold sweat. Despite all appearances, he was an anxiously protective father.
Liselotte laughed. “Well, it was with the approval of not only Ambassador Theodore and Prince Wayne, but His Majesty himself as well. There’s no need to worry.”
“So even His Majesty and His Royal Highness are leaning on you... In any case, I’m proud that your exploits in the battle with the Prismer were honored. You’ve done well for Karelia.”
“The knights of Charot were overjoyed to hear of your efforts, none prouder than I. It’s my honor to have taught you the duties of a knight,” Liza said.
The pats on the back from both Duke Arcia and Liza filled Liselotte with joy. “Thank you. I’ll continue to do my utmost.”
As she smiled, Liza frowned in worry. “But what I’m concerned about is the situation with Venefic. If it worsens and war breaks out, perhaps even you will be drawn into Chancellor Riegliv’s expeditionary force...”
“I’m a bit worried about that as well. I was pleased when you reprimanded Chancellor Riegliv and the lords of the east as they became so passionate. Thank you.”
“It was as much my own opinion as it was for you. Don’t worry about it. Focus on your own growth,” Duke Arcia said.
“Yes, Father.”
“But might you have gotten on his nerves arguing directly against him like that? I’m worried that you may have made an enemy of Chancellor Riegliv. Perhaps it would have been better to leave that to Duke Bilford,” Liza suggested.
“No, it should be no issue. He and I have never seen eye to eye, not since I was chancellor when the moving of the frozen Prismer to the east was approved. He resents me for not stopping that. Duke Bilford is sincere to a fault, so I don’t want to draw him into politicking. And besides...”
“Yes?” Both women waited for him to complete his thought.
“You surely could tell that neither His Majesty nor His Royal Highness show much enthusiasm for an aggressive stance. They simply don’t want to ignore Chancellor Riegliv and his party. Thus, it falls to the royal dukes, relatives of the royal family, to advance the crown’s position. Royal dukes must support the royal family as their shadow, their shield. Remember that well, Liselotte.”
“Of course, Father.”
“However, it is true that I may have been overzealous. I was pleased to see that His Majesty and Prince Wayne were in agreement, and I overstepped. Recently, the two have been at odds over how we should deal with Highland. I hope this is an opportunity for them to reconcile...”
Duke Arcia’s faint smile was met with a worried expression from Liza. “However, Your Grace, if I may point out... Will the people of Charot be rewarded for your efforts? By the information Lady Liselotte received from the Steelblood Front, the royal family had pledged both Ahlemin and our Charot in exchange for a hieral menace to replace Lady Ripple. Of course, in the end this did not occur, but still...”
“Liza...” Liselotte murmured.
“I believe someone close to Chancellor Riegliv was the source of that information. That was certainly his intent. As I mentioned earlier, we do not see eye to eye, and he fears that I will reclaim my position. He must have seen it as a chance to prevent that, permanently. I had heard that His Majesty had pledged Ahlemin and Nova, both of which are crown lands. That would be the most reasonable course of action. Though that’s not to say that there are no problems with it at all. Still, though. Chancellor Riegliv must have been trying to change the terms without His Majesty’s input.”
“I see... I understand now. My apologies for making assumptions.”
“I’m certainly glad to know that, though! I was concerned as we—” Before Liselotte could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by shouts from outside the carriage.
“Aaaaah?!”
“Who goes there?!”
“We’re under attack! Captain Liza! We’re under attack!”
Clang! Clang!!!
Outside, blade clashed on blade.
“What?! An ambush?!” Liza’s expression hardened at once.
“The first since I resigned as chancellor... I shouldn’t be surprised. They likely want objectors gone so they can push through their war with Venefic.”
“Father, then they’re—!”
“Politics only stays politics while one can remain seated.”
“Young mistress! I shall counterattack! May I rely on you to defend His Grace?!” Liza asked in a hurry.
“Yes, understood!” Liselotte replied.
“May fortune be with you, then!” Liza took her Artifact, opened the door to the carriage, and leaped out. She wielded an upper-class halberd, just like Liselotte. Its Gift was different, but the base weapon was the same, hence why she had been chosen to teach Liselotte.
“Father, I will lead you to safety! Give me your hand!”
“Of course!”
Taking her father’s hand, Liselotte activated her Gift as she led him outside. She flapped her pale wings vigorously and carried them both into the sky. This way, they couldn’t be directly attacked. As long as she was careful not to be hit from below, they would be fine. Certainly safer than staying in the carriage, anyway.
Liselotte surveyed the battlefield below. There were six or seven assassins, all wearing black hooded cloaks. They had spread out around the carriage, encircling it. One of the guards—of which there were three total, including Liza—had been wounded. If that was the extent of the gap in numbers, Liza could easily handle it.
“Bastards! Bare blades at me, and I will show no mercy!” With swift, precise movements, Liza rushed toward the foes in front of the carriage to cut them down. It was impressive, and as Liselotte had predicted, being outnumbered was not a problem. However, this was the first time she had seen Liza fighting in quite a while, and it differed from her memories. Before she enrolled at the knights’ academy, even though they both wielded halberds, Liselotte had felt that she couldn’t stand up to her teacher—a feeling that was only reinforced when they sparred.
But now, her honest assessment of the battle unfolding in front of her was that Liza was no Inglis. That was all. Liselotte herself may not have been Inglis, who took abnormal pleasure in training, nor Leone, who trained intently as if she had no choice, but she herself had in her own way and for her own motivations learned a considerable amount. Her realization right now just might have been a reflection of that. Liselotte laughed, and an unforeseen smile rose to her face.
“Huh? What is it, Liselotte?” Duke Arcia asked.
“O-Oh, nothing! Nothing at all!” When she had free time later, she would have to see with Liza whether it was true.
The situation below had evolved. With Liza charging toward those who had appeared in front of the carriage, those behind turned their focus to Liselotte above. They were aiming at her not with Artifacts, but with small crossbows. As their targets were humans rather than magicite beasts, they seemed to have found no need for Artifacts or Runes. The assassins with whom Liza crossed blades to the fore were also armed with ordinary weapons. That meant they had been selected purely as assassins—with no thought to fighting magicite beasts—in a way that was easier to organize in terms of both supplies and personnel.
“But our lives are not so easily bought!” Liselotte yelled. Liza was about to overrun the foes before, yet those behind were ignoring that in favor of targeting Liselotte, even though they could have offered support and surrounded Liza. These were the decisions of those who aimed only to bag their mark, not to win and return home safely. The assassins must not have valued their own lives.
“Liselotte, evade them!” Duke Arcia called out to her as she floated, watching the assassins. He wanted her to use her Artifact’s Gift to evade the oncoming bolt. Otherwise, they were in for trouble.
Until recently, Liselotte would have agreed on that course of action, but not now. If a foe paused to aim, then your own target was fixed in place.
“No, Father! It’s fine!” The dragon-jaw tip of Liselotte’s halberd pointed toward the assassins.
Fssssh!
A fierce blizzard emitted from the point as it shone a pale blue. The storm cast down the assassins’ bolts and struck them where they stood.
“Oh?”
“See?” Liselotte began. “We can turn this around!” She swept her halberd from side to side, spreading the blizzard. It froze the assassins, stopping them in their tracks and easily blowing away their bolts. This was the power of an ancient dragon’s mighty breath. And with the assassins too busy aiming, they made easy targets. If anything, it was difficult not to hit them too hard with the dragon’s breath and shatter them. It was important to take them alive so that they could find the group’s client.
“Impressive, young mistress!” Liza had won the clash to the fore and turned her attention to the rear. With the assassins frozen by Liselotte’s blizzard, she was able to easily bowl them over.
That should finish things, Liselotte thought. It’s safe to land now.
“Liza is correct,” Duke Arcia said. “You’ve grown much in the short time we’ve been apart.”
“I have to disagree. That’s thanks to my Artifact. But it is an heirloom from my mother, almost a part of me... I suppose it could be considered my growth as well.” A soft smile broke out on her face.
Duke Arcia nodded. “I’m sure Charlotte would have loved to hear that.” Charlotte was Liselotte’s mother, who had passed away when she was young. Liselotte had inherited the Artifact halberd she had wielded when she was a knight.
Liza rushed over to her. “Young mistress, I thank you for your aid.”
“You’re quite welcome. Though I’m sure you would have been fine without it.”
“Thanks to you, we were able to repel them quickly. Is that some new power you’ve gained? It was wonderful.”
“Thank you. I’m happy to hear that.”
After praising Liselotte, though, Liza’s expression turned grim. “Well... We avoided striking their vitals, so let’s escort several of the survivors back and get them to tell us in whose employ they are.”
“Y-Yes... Indeed we should.” Liselotte didn’t like the idea of harsh interrogations, much less torture.
“Please understand, young mistress. Our very lives are at stake.”
“Indeed. I suppose I’m more suited to fighting magicite beasts.”
“That is for the best. That’s what Artifacts and Runes are for, after all.”
“Don’t overdo it, Liza. Good assassins never divulge their masters. And if it’s whom we think it is, they would have spared no expense. If no leads are forthcoming, we should at least grant them a quick death.”
“Understood.” Liza nodded, and approached the collapsed foes in front of the carriage.
As she did, Liselotte’s halberd jerked in her hands. “Eh...?” The dragon’s-jaw-motif point swung toward Liza, not through Liselotte’s will but entirely on its own. “What’s going on?!” It seemed as if it was about to spew forth a blizzard on its own accord. “Liza! It’s dangerous! Get back!”
“Ah!”
Just as Liza reacted to Liselotte’s warning, there was a scream.
“Grahhhh!” A collapsed assassin leaped up, rushing toward Liza with his blade at the ready. He was fast—faster than when they had first fought. He was wounded and bleeding, but he showed no effect from it. And his face was twisted into something inhuman, eyes peeled wide and fangs bladelike, like a beast’s.
“What?!” Liza gasped.
“What is that?!” Liselotte asked in shock.
Thankfully, Liza had reacted to the warning, and Liselotte’s halberd had a perfect angle on the rising assassin.
Whoooooooosh!
The blizzard shot forth, catching the assassin who had transformed as it passed. Whatever he was, he was no longer human. Nor was he a magicite beast, but perhaps he was something close. This time, Liselotte focused on her target, freezing the assassin completely.
“Thank you. Honestly, if you hadn’t warned me, I would have been in danger! I apologize!” Liza gritted her teeth in frustration.
“I-It was nothing! Simply by chance, but I’m glad you’re safe!” Liselotte hadn’t called out because she knew the assassin was about to leap up, simply because her Artifact had swung toward Liza. The power of the dragon lore must have sensed something abnormal in the assassin and reacted. Liselotte was uneasy at not understanding precisely why, but she was glad that it had saved Liza.
“Grr... Graaaah!”
“Ah! He’s still moving?!” The frozen assassin, despite being frozen, continued to growl. As he tried to force his body to move, cracks appeared and he shattered into pieces.
“Wh—?! What’s going on?! That isn’t right!”
“They don’t appear to know pain or fear! It’s like they’re not even human anymore!”
“Strange, indeed.”
“Be careful, the others might be the same!”
Just as Liza warned Liselotte, the other collapsed assassins leaped up. “Grahhhh!” All of them were... Different, in the way the one before had been.
“But if you’re not taking us by surprise...” Liza began.
“Yes, let’s do this! I’ll take the lead!” Liselotte turned the blizzard on the rising assassins. It caught one, but the remaining two spread out and evaded. “They’re fast!” Their movements were swift. Liselotte swung her halberd around to chase them.
“No, young mistress! Keep it steady!” Liza called out. She had already rushed forth, getting ahead of one of the remaining two. Her halberd, thrust from the side, impaled the assassin, who was caught in Liselotte’s blizzard—no, forced into it.
“One left!” Liselotte announced.
“Leave it to me!” Amazingly, Liza used the first assassin as cover from the storm as she moved in on the other. Soon, she was close in with the remaining assassin. Of course, the blind spot used as a shield was left behind in the blizzard. Liselotte couldn’t see well due to the storm, but Liza must have wielded her halberd, and herself, quite well. Perhaps her thought that she may have caught up a bit with Liza was just a figment of her imagination.
As Liselotte thought to herself, Liza forced the last assassin into the blizzard. Frozen, the assassins struggled to move before breaking themselves apart. That was all of the ones up front. The ones behind had been frozen by Liselotte, and hadn’t joined in yet. Things would have been worse if they had all been able to attack at once. Liselotte and Liza had been lucky.
“Young mistress! Let’s attend to the rear!”
“Yes, understood!”
Liselotte and Liza nodded to each other and moved to clean up behind the carriage.
◆◇◆
“In the end, we were able to drive them back safely, but in those circumstances, we had no choice but to finish them off. However, it does seem they were very similar to your descriptions of the ‘undying’ who attacked Leone.”
Inglis nodded in agreement. “That seems likely, yes.”
“I’m still shocked that not just I, but my father Duke Arcia, was targeted...”
“I thought there weren’t many undying. So why do they keep popping up?” Rafinha asked.
“No, we don’t know they were after Duke Arcia,” Inglis pointed out. “They might have been after you, Liselotte.”
“Ah! Myself?!”
“Yeah. If we think of it as them being after you and Leone, things become clearer. You two have a lot in common.”
“We do?”
“They do?”
“Yeah. You distinguished yourselves in the battle with the Prismer, and a lot of people know your names and what you look like now, right? I don’t think Leone was targeted because of anything to do with Leon or the Olfas. If that was the case, why wouldn’t it have happened sooner? And with it happening to you too, Liselotte, I think that’s it. With them around both Leone and Liselotte, I think the target was Liselotte herself, not Duke Arcia.”
“I...can’t disagree,” Liselotte said.
“So you’re saying we don’t know exactly why, but they’re after us because of what we accomplished fighting the Prismer?” Leone asked.
“Hey, Chris. What about us?” Rafinha asked.
“Who’s saying that no one was after us? Or maybe they thought they could romance us.” Inglis hadn’t noticed anything out of place when back home in Ymir, so she leaned toward the latter.
“Yeah, if they showed up and saw Jil and you fighting the way you did, they’d probably run away in terror,” Rafinha remarked.
Or perhaps their young selves had made them unrecognizable.
“I’d have been happy for them to join in,” Inglis said.
“Come on! Those poor assassins, forced into what you two had going on?”
“Anyway, we don’t know whether more undying might show up, so be careful.”
The other three nodded at Inglis’s suggestion.
Then, someone from outside the group called out to them.
“Er, excuse me! Sorry everyone, I just overheard, but... Undying? You say you saw undying?!” Arles asked with a serious expression on her face. She must have overheard as she’d been leaving the cafeteria.
“Oh, Miss Arles... Yes, over vacation Leone and Liselotte were attacked by undying!” Rafinha said.
“Where?!”
“Myself, at home in Ahlemin!” Leone answered.
“And I here in the capital!” Liselotte said.
“Miss Arles, do you know of anyone who can control the undying?” Inglis asked.
“Y-Yes!” Arles turned to Rochefort at her side. “Ross!”
“Oh, yeah, I think I know that guy.” Rochefort’s expression turned stern.
“Who?” Inglis asked.
“Maxwell. He’s the same rank as me. Venefic’s invasion of Karelia under the cover of the Prismer’s attack wasn’t limited to just us.”
“Ooh! So a Venefic general has an Artifact that can create and control undying?! I’d love to meet him!”
“Come on, Chris!” Rafinha protested. “That’s nothing to be happy about! It’s a big problem!”
Inglis laughed wanly.
“She looks like a sweet, innocent child, but nothing else has changed...” Leone remarked.
“I’ve never seen anyone like this.” Liselotte laughed wryly.
“I figured he went back to Venefic after we lost and the Prismer got taken out, but I guess he’s still skulking around Karelia... I don’t know where all of my former men who came with us went.” Rochefort’s eyes went sharp. “I thought they just couldn’t assimilate in Karelia and ran away, but he might have turned them into undying...”
“And those were the undying who attacked me in Ahlemin?” Leone asked.
“Could be,” Rochefort responded. “But it’s nothing for you to worry your little head about. You’ve gotta deal with what you’ve gotta deal with. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s me for not stopping Maxwell from turning them into undying.” Rochefort’s phrasing was casual, but he seemed to burn with quiet rage. He was very angry.
“Ross...”
“Mr. Rochefort...”
“Mr. Rochefort, can you describe General Maxwell to us, just in case?” Inglis asked.
“Yeah, sure.”
But then, a loud voice echoed through the cafeteria. “Everyone, it’s time for an assembly! Hurry and gather in the auditorium! Prince Wayne and Ambassador Theodore will be giving an address for the start of the new semester!” Instructor Marquez announced.
“Prince Wayne and Ambassador Theodore? Did they tell us that before?” Inglis asked.
“No, I hadn’t heard they were attending,” Arles said.
“Then this one must be pretty important.”
“We can talk later. Student and teacher both, we can’t show up late,” Rochefort said.
The two seemed to be taking their duties surprisingly seriously.
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